Bedstead



Dec. 8, 1942. F. P, sKlNNER BEDSTEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Mach '17. '194g F. P.'SK|NNER 2,304,511

BEDS TEAD Filed March 17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNETED STATES Pia'iilliii @FFME BED'S'IEAD Fred P. Skinner, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 17, 1942, Serial No. 435,087

2 Claims.

This invention relates to bedstead construction, and has more particular reference to a novel means for assembling the slats of a bedstead with the side rails thereof so that said side rails may not spread and permit falling of the slats.

More particularly, the present invention aims to carry the above object out by means of a construction which is extremely durable and economical to manufacture.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View, partly broken away and in section, showing a bedstead constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line ll-ll of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective View showing an end ofthe center slat of the bedstead shown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the type of groove provided intermediate the ends of the side rails of the bedstead for cooperation with the ends of the center or intermediate slat; and

Figure 8 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 5 illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the bedstead Vis shown as composed of a head member 5, a foot member 6, side rails l, end slats 8, and a center or intermediate slat 8a. The ends of the side rails I are detachably joined as at 9 with the ends of the head and foot members 5 and 6 in any well known or preferred manner.

In accordance with the present invention, the ends of end slats 8 are removably tted in horizontal elongated grooves Il) provided in the inner faces of the side rails l, the ends of the slats 8 being absolutely plain, and the top and bottom walls of the grooves Iii being horizontal so that there in no interlocking relationship between the slats 8 and rails l as shown in Figure 3. On the other hand, the center or intermediate slat Sa is formed at its ends to provide dovetailed tongues I I whose sides or top and bottom walls diverge outwardly in a vertical plane. These dove-tailed tongues are adapted for reception within horizontal elongated grooves provided in the inner faces of the side rails 1, each of the latter grooves including a plain relatively wide portion I2 and an undercut portion I3 having a narrow entrance |30.. Thus, the top and bottom walls of the portion I3 diverge outwardly and in a vertical plane and said portion is of a size to snugly receive the cooperating dove-tailed tongue II of the slat 8a. The arrangement is such that the tongues II may be alined with the plain portions I2 of the slots intermediate the ends of the rails I and entered into said groove portions I2, whereupon the Slat 8a may be slid longitudinally of the rails 'I so as to shift the tongues II into the dovetailed portions I3 of said grooves. Thus positioned, the ends of the slats 8a will be interlocked with the side rails I and the latter will be prevented from springing outwardly intermediate their ends or spreading apart. In this Way, any accidental falling of the slats by disengagement of their ends from the side rails l, will be positively prevented. While the grooves have been shown in Figures 1 to '7 inclusive as provided directly in the rails I proper and extending part Way through the latter, it will be evident that said grooves may be formed in a separate strip I4 attached to the side rail proper 'l' as illustrated in Figure 8. In the latter figure, the intermediate slat 8b has the end dove-tailed tongue IIb engaged in the undercut portion ISD of the associated slot of strip I4. Strip I4 may be att'ached to side rail i proper by any suitable means such as screws indicated by dotted lines at I5.

It will be particularly noted that the present invention is not concerned with a method of connecting the ends oi' side rails with the head and foot members of a bedstead, and is essentially different from prior constructions in which the ends of the slats are dove-tailed by notching the edges of the slats to provide vertical Walls which diverge horizontally. In such prior constructions, the slats are lowered into their seats rather than slid horizontally from a plain to an undercut portion of a horizontally elongated slot, and the seats for the ends of the slats in said prior constructions are usually provided in the upper edges of attached strips carried by the side rails.

What I claim as new is:

1. A bed rail having a horizontally elongated groove intermediate the ends thereof, one end portion of said groove having horizontal top and bottom walls, the other end portion of said groove being undercut so as to have top and bottom walls which diverge outwardly in a vertical plane, and a slat having an end dove-tailed tongue Whose top and bottom walls diverge outwardly in a vertical plane, said tongue being of a size to enter the plain end portion of said groove and to be snugly received in the undercut portion of said groove upon sliding the slat laterally, whereby the end of the slat and the rail are interlocked.

2. A bedstead including head and foot members connected by side rails, said side rails hav-- ing transversely alined horizontally elongated grooves in the inner faces thereof, certain of said grooves being near the ends of the side rails, and the others being intermediate the ends of the side rails, said grooves near the ends of the side rails being plain and having horizontal top and bottom walls, end slats having plain ends removably fitting in the grooves near the ends of the side rails, the grooves intermediate the ends of the side rails having transversely alined plain end portions provided with horizontal top and bottom walls and undercut end portions provided with top and bottom walls which diverge outwardly in a vertical plane, and a center slat formed with dove-tailed tongues at the ends thereof, said tongues having top and bottom walls which diverge outwardly in a vertical plane, said tongues further being of a size to enter the plain end portions of the last named grooves and to be snugly received in the undercut end portions thereof when the center slat is shifted laterally, to thereby provide an interlocking connection between the ends of the center Slat and the intermediate portions of the side rails.

FRED P. SKINNER. 

